Wally Vernon(1905-1970)

Both a great dancer and a hilarious comedian, in show business since the age of three, Wally Vernon could have had a more significant screen career than he had. Not in terms of quantity since he appeared in no fewer than ninety-five movies or TV episodes but in terms of quality. Indeed besides Henry King and his delightful Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938), no major director gave him a key role in a major picture. It is a pity, for Vernon was an excellent (eccentric) dancer à la Donald O'Connor who would have graced many a great musical with his dizzying presence. On the other hand his ability to deliver Runyon-esque dialogue would have been welcome in screwball comedy masterpieces by Frank Capra, George Cukor or Howard Hawks. Instead he served as a comical sidekick to Don 'Red' Barry in a series of low grade westerns or as a stooge to Eddie Quillan in a score of mildly amusing Columbia shorts. Television finally did justice to Vernon's special talents by making him a regular of the series "Damon Runyon Theater".